Susan Ruth Collard

Susan Ruth Collard, 53, of Marysville, died on Thursday, Dec. 8, 2011, at the family home in Marysville.

She was born on Oct. 19, 1958, at Port Huron Hospital, the third child and only daughter of Neil Kenneth and Fern (Duquesnoy) Collard. She was welcomed home by big brothers Peter and Timothy.

She graduated from Marysville High School in 1976.

She acquired a love for writing that shaped her future goals under the guidance of English teacher, Shirley Bellow.

She graduated with honors from Tennessee Temple University (Chattanooga) in 1980 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in English and a minor in journalism.

She was an editor and writer for Stonecroft Ministries (Kansas City, Mo.) for the past 25 years. She was the managing editor of the ministry’s Progress magazine for a number of years. She also served as “ghost writer” for three different CEOs of the ministry, often helping them to express what they wanted to say – only better.

As a freelance writer Susan wrote devotional material and Sunday school curriculum for a number of publishers. She especially enjoyed mentoring young writers and ministry interns.

The family says whether she was “Aunt Sus” or “Miss Sue,” her love for children was evident.

After college, she taught for five years at the Montessori preschool in St. Clair. After moving to Kansas City, she became actively involved in the ministry of Red Bridge Baptist Church, working with the “tweens” and developing a puppet ministry.

With a flair for the dramatic, she was frequently writing, directing and/or performing in a variety of different scenarios.

In 2008 she moved back to Marysville to help care for her parents. She continued to write and edit for Stonecroft from “the Marysville office.” The congregation of First Baptist Church of Marysville quickly became an integral part of her life.

Neil Collard, Susan’s father, hero, and the Voice of the Vikings, died on Sept. 17, 2009.

She is survived by her mother, Fern; three brothers, Peter (Jan) Collard of Ritzville, Rev. Timothy (Sandra) Collard of Pekin, Ill., and Alan (Tammy) Collard of Marysville; and two nephews and seven nieces.